On the Verge

Veronica Sanabria, massage therapist.

Apr 2009

Usually the last words a client hears from her massage therapist are, “Take your time getting up.” But Sanabria is known for offering ultrahelpful post-rubdown feedback—advising a client with tight shoulders to carry a lighter purse, for instance, or recommending a trip to the steam room to release lactic acid. In 1999 Sanabria was working at Barnes & Noble when a customer’s pile of massage books caught her eye. “She told me she was training to be a massage therapist,” recalls the 32-year-old native New Yorker. “I love working with my hands, but I had no idea I could make a living with them!” After studying at the Swedish Institute, Sanabria had gigs at Club H and Silk Day Spa before landing at Guerlain last year. First-time clients are surprised by her ability to quickly find just the right pressure, and often return seeking more of her doctorly advice.